Geothermal

Energy
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Geothermal energy is the heat from the
Earth. It's clean and sustainable.
Resources of geothermal energy range
from the shallow ground to hot water and
hot rock found a few miles beneath the
Earth's surface, and down even deeper to
the extremely high temperatures of
molten rock called magma.
Radiogenic heat, heat is continuously generated by
the decay of radioactive isotopes of long, such as
uranium (U238, U235), thorium (232Th) and potassium
(K40) life that are in Earth.
Geothermal means "Heat of the Earth." This heat flows
due to the movement of tectonic plates (areas
subduction of oceanic expansion and rift floor).

Binary Cycle Systems.

Cycle binary systems can be utilized in medium-
enthalpy hydrothermal reservoirs (100 -200 C C
), where liquid water predominates. Such plants
employ a second working fluid with a boiling
point (at atmospheric pressure) less than water,
such as isopentane, freon, iso-butane, etc.,
Which is vaporized and used to drive the turbine

These systems also have the advantage of
allowing use of medium-temperature
geothermal fields , allowed the exploitation of
deposits in aquifers with a higher percentage
of impurities , especially if they are under such
pressure to not occur sudden evaporation.
The liquid extracted from the aquifer , once it
has given up its heat to the working fluid in
the heat exchanger , it returns back to the
reservoir. The fluido secundario works
according to the conventional Rankin cycle .
The working fluid , become heated as it
passes through the evaporator vapor is
directed to the turbine in order to drive it . The
generator mechanically coupled to the
turbine, is in charge of generating electricity.
The gases of the working fluid , once
expanded in the turbine , is condensed in a
heat exchanger . The heat exchanger is
water-cooled by a cooling circuit having.

The binary cycle plants are usually built in
small modular units , which can be
interconnected to form power plants tens
of megawatts. In the 1990s a new
development cycle, called Kalina cycle,
which is more efficient than conventional
Rankin cycles , but in a more complex
design. This cycle uses as working fluid a
mixture of water and ammonia, which is
expanded ( in terms of heating) through
the high pressure turbine and is then
reheated prior to driving the low-pressure
turbine .

Advantages of Energy Geothermal.
* Factor plants to plant 95% of installed
capacity.
* Well managed field can have very long
life time. Laderdello over 100 years.
* Environmental footprint is minimal
compared to other renewable.
* It emits no harmful emissions to the
environment.
* Its range of applications is very wide.

Disadvantages of Energy
Geothermal.
* High initial cost of exploration.
* High risk in the early stages.
* Start of development takes a long time

Current Uses of Geothermal Energy in
Guatemala
Power Generation:
* Zunil I, 24 MW
* Ortitln, 20 MW
Direct uses (industrial):
* Monolit (cured concrete products)
* Agro La Laguna (dehydration of fruit)
* Lemonex (dehydration of fruit)
Recreational (spas, steam):
* Amatitln (SPA)
* Quetzaltenango
* Totonicapn
* San Marcos

Geothermal Fields In Guatemala